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Cycling Europe

  • 08-05-2010 9:47pm
    #1
    Jackpike
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭


    I’m thinking about cycling around Europe for a few months. However I know very little about it. Thinking of staying at camp sites. I have a “city bike”, it like half mountain bike/half racer bike. Not bad for cycling I think. Any advice on how to kit the bike out of carrying my gear and where to start looking for information to plan the trip. Many thanks guys.
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    DualFrontDiscs
    Registered Users Posts: 932 ✭✭✭DualFrontDiscs


    Jackpike wrote: »
    I’m thinking about cycling around Europe for a few months. However I know very little about it. Thinking of staying at camp sites. I have a “city bike”, it like half mountain bike/half racer bike. Not bad for cycling I think. Any advice on how to kit the bike out of carrying my gear and where to start looking for information to plan the trip. Many thanks guys.

    Well I'm envious! Can't imagine I'm the only one either. Have a look here for some inspiration.

    There are lots of different ways to tour. Do you plan to camp, or stay in B&Bs hotels/ etc? For me this is one of the most important factors, as it will dramatically impact the amount of equipment you'll need to carry. Obviously, carrying a tent, sleeping bag, mat, stove, etc will impose certain restrictions on you (as well as freeing you in other ways).

    Either way, you'll need a rear rack for your bike. If your bike can take it, you might want to consider a front rack too. You'll want waterproof panniers, mudguards, lights, a handlebar bag (with a map holder), a bloody good lock, etc. All similar requirements for commuting to be honest.

    Do you have any thoughts on a route? Do you know the make/ model of the bike?

    Regards,

    DFD*

    *DreamingFondDistances.


  • #3
    Jackpike
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭Jackpike


    DualFrontDiscs wrote: »
    Well I'm envious! Can't imagine I'm the only one either. Have a look here for some inspiration.

    There are lots of different ways to tour. Do you plan to camp, or stay in B&Bs hotels/ etc? For me this is one of the most important factors, as it will dramatically impact the amount of equipment you'll need to carry. Obviously, carrying a tent, sleeping bag, mat, stove, etc will impose certain restrictions on you (as well as freeing you in other ways).

    Either way, you'll need a rear rack for your bike. If your bike can take it, you might want to consider a front rack too. You'll want waterproof panniers, mudguards, lights, a handlebar bag (with a map holder), a bloody good lock, etc. All similar requirements for commuting to be honest.

    Do you have any thoughts on a route? Do you know the make/ model of the bike?

    Regards,

    DFD*

    *DreamingFondDistances.


    Cheers Dual, Yeah i'm gonna camp. I've done a lot of camping in
    extreme conditions so hopefully ill be grand. I’m going on a very low or none existent budget and going to see how far I get. Hoping I might pick up some casual work here and there maybe. No major plans. As for where I’m heading, I’ve no plans either. It’ll prob be a few months before I head off. I have to try clear me debts here first. I think I might head south for the winter. Take in Spain, Portugal and Italy etc. might even make it to Greece. That’s roughly the plan so far. Just want to start thinking about gear and what’s needed at the moment. Don’t know the make and model of bike at the mo as it’s in me mothers. I’ll find out and maybe post a pic also. Cheers for the help and advice mate.


  • #4
    Tonyandthewhale
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,867 ✭✭✭Tonyandthewhale


    Sounds like a brilliant idea. I'd advise you to do your reasearch and plan a route, you don't have to stick to it but if you know roughly
    where you're going you know what kind of equipment you're going to have to bring and what sort of travel arrangements you're going to have to make.

    I'd also advise you to do some short tours around Ireland or maybe Britain if you've never done anything like this before because you need to be sure that you like this sort of thing before you commit yourself to several months on the road.

    As regards equipment I reccomend ortlieb panniers as they're completely water-proof (in my experience anyway) and it fairly sucks to have nothing but wet stuff to wear when you're living in a flismy aul tent for weeks on end.


  • #5
    GearoidP
    Registered Users Posts: 84 ✭✭GearoidP


    We cycled from Istanbul to Ireland in 2008. A few of the guys had never cycled more than about 40km in a day before but got into it. My main advice would be to travel light, consider Eastern Europe (better roads, cheaper) and stay in hostels & b&b's rather than camping it... You might get some ideas from our blog www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/istanbul2ireland


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